For a patient that buys prescription medication, the amount of information and warnings conveyed to the patient is overwhelming. Typically, there is a label stuck to the bottle with various information and warnings thereon. For example, the prescribing physician will be named, the patient will be named, the type and dosage of medication will be given, as well as, how often the patient should take the medication each day. There probably will be a reminder concerning refills and warnings about the medication.
Because there is not enough room on the label that is stuck on the bottle to give all of the warnings and side effect of the medication, the bottle containing the medication is typically put in a bag and stapled to the top of the bag is additional product information or warnings. As a practical matter, normally the patient tears open the bag, gets out the bottle containing the medication and throws the bag with all of the product information and/or warnings stapled thereto away. It is very rare that a patient reads the product information or warnings that are stapled to the bag before it is thrown away.
If it was practical to put more product information or warnings with the container that has the medication therein, typically the patient will stand a much higher probability of reading the product information or warnings. If the product information or warnings are stapled to the bag, normally such product information or warnings are never read.
As an example of an attempt by the industry to add more information to the label, U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,205 by Adler et al shows a generally wedge shaped bottle with a curved top that allows the label to be wrapped thereover. The bottle opening is at the bottom. Due to a recess between the label and the bottle, additional product information can be inserted in that recess. However, since the bottle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,205 has been on the market, it has received a large amount of criticism by the consuming public.
One of the largest manufacturers of containers for prescription drugs is Berry Plastics Corporation. While Berry Plastics has a complete line of prescription containers that can be selected by “family” or “size” on their website of www.berryplastics.com, the containers have the problem of insufficient room to put all of the information concerning the medication on the container so it can be seen by the patient. The most common line by Berry Plastics is the “Friendly & Safe” prescription container with the locking top. The Friendly & Safe prescription containers come in a number of different sizes. Regardless of the size, the problem of sufficient surface area to put all of the information needed on a pharmacy container still exists.
While a lack of space to put proper warnings and/or information on the prescription container is a problem, many patients take their medication by shape of the pill, shape of the bottle or other external factors other than reading the label itself. If there are multiple people in the household taking prescription medication, such as an elderly couple, some times the individuals get confused and take the other persons medication. While various systems have been devised to avoid the confusion, mistakes still occur.
The best reminder system would be one the patient can devise for themself. For example, an elderly couple, both of whom take prescription medication, might have different colors for their bottles or caps. As an example, the wife can take the color red and the husband take the color green. Therefore, all of the medication in the red capped container is for the wife and all of the medication in the green capped container is for the husband.
Another example may be different colors being used as reminders of when to take the medication. The color black could be used for medication to be taken in the evening and the color white for medication to be taken in the morning.
Whatever system is being used, there is a drastic need to convey information in an easy to understand form to the patient that is taking the prescription medication. Some information such as warnings should be given in detail. However, other information such as whose medication it is may be conveyed by colors. Whatever system is used, the object is to convey the maximum amount of information to the patient in a manner the patient will absorb and utilize.